THE K-MO AND BRADFORD SHOW

Friday, November 6

Riverside

7 p.m.

California Baptist University

Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)

THE K-MO AND BRADFORD SHOW

11/7/2009 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — For two seniors that averaged a combined 11.3 points a game last year for California Baptist University, Kendra Morris and Megan Bradford helped the Lancers make a huge statement with a 60-58 upset over No. 16 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho).

The Warriors (2-0) came in riding high especially after a win over No. 10 Azusa Pacific, but the Lancers (1-0) got 48 points from Morris and Bradford who hit seven of the 18 3-pointers they attempted. Both scored career-highs with Morris notching the game-high with 28 points while Bradford had 20.

“We needed Kendra to step up and take the role that was left from Nicole Davis,” said CBU head coach Danelle Bishop. “She wanted the ball in several instances and she looked to attack when we needed her to attack. She's a whole different player this year and is going to be that leader that we need.”

It was fitting that the two seniors also scored the final three points for the Lancers. Trailing 58-57 with 22 seconds left, the Lancers got a turnover from LCSC and gave the ball the Morris. She came across the lane from the right wing and pulled up to hit a 15-foot floater just outside the lane to put the Lancers up with 11 seconds left. The Warriors then brought it into the front court, but Bradford picked off an errant pass in the post and then hit the second of her two free throws after she was fouled. LCSC tried to go the length of the court in four seconds, but had to settle for a last second heave from half court that missed and gave CBU the win.

Lewis-Clark State had its biggest lead at 36-25 with 15:25 left in the game and led 40-30 with 13:20 left before Bradford hit her first trey to spark a 13-0 run. Morris followed Bradford's three with six straight points before Bradford hit her second 3-pointer to give CBU its first lead since the 12:50 mark in the first half. The Lancers took their biggest lead at 49-42 on Bradford's final three with 5:42 left.

The Warriors looked to be on their way to putting the game away after an 11-0 run put them up 53-49, and led 56-52 with 1:43 left, but a pair of Bradford free-throws and a Morris three gave the lead back to CBU at 57-56 with 1:19 to play. LCSC's Kenna Reiter hit a pair of free throws to take a 58-57 lead which set up Morris' and Bradford's heroics to end the game.

“Megan really believes in herself and she should because she's coming in an taking extra shots before and after practice,” said Bishop. “I told the girls that you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't shoot. She missed a couple tonight, but kept firing and hit some big shots in the second half. She also came up with that huge steal.”

Morris scored 15 first-half points on 5-of-11 shooting, 2-for-5 from 3-point range. Bradford scored 18 second-half points, going 4-for-6 from downtown.

“Two of our biggest goals this year are to play good defense and just take it one game at a time,” said Bishop. “I thought overall we did that tonight. We contained well and adjusted to what [Lewis-Clark State] was doing.”

It was the first win over a ranked opponent since Jan. 24, 2009 and was the eighth straight year the Lancers have opened their season with a win.

Despite getting outrebounded and outshot, the Lancers won the turnover battle, forcing 26 compared to giving up 17. CBU scored 19 points off of turnovers. Every Lancer that played, except for one, pulled down at least one rebound. Alyson Haley led the way with seven while Monique Calvello had six.

CBU will now prepare for two California Pacific Conference schools to make the trip to Riverside as the Lancers will play Simpson, Friday at 6 p.m., and Cal Maritime, Saturday at 4:30 p.m.